Brown's agent, Mark Bartlestein, told ESPN.com on Monday night that the former No. 1 pick in the 2001 draft has reached a verbal agreement on a new contract with the Detroit Pistons.

The contract is believed to be a two-year deal worth $8 million, with Brown -- who spent his first four seasons as a pro in Washington after being drafted by then-Wizards president Michael Jordan -- holding a player option to return to free agency after this season.

Brown earned nearly $9.1 million last season in the final year of his previous three-year deal, which the 26-year-old received in the summer of 2005 in a sign-and-trade from Washington to the Los Angeles Lakers. Brown's expiring salary was the chief chip that the Lakers used to convince the Memphis Grizzlies to send Pau Gasol to L.A. on Feb. 1 in a trade that earned the Grizzlies widespread criticism.

Brown played in only 15 games with the Grizzlies after the trade, averaging just 3.5 points and 3.8 rebounds in under 14 minutes per game.

Diop got the full MLE for however many years he could (5?). There's almost no difference between him and Brown. They're very good defensive centers who give nothing on offense. I'd say we underpaid if anything. Short deal means total flexibility too. Not a "OHMYGOD" type of signing, but it is very solid.

The guy made a boat load of money for doing almost nothing. Now he's cutting salary by half+ to the tune of $4M because no one else wanted him...pretty good gig. You really have to wonder if Joe thought this one out...it should have been a team option. Maybe after paying Darko $4M/year Kwame seems like a bargain to Joe :nerd2: